We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mykel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mykel below.
Alright, Mykel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
I have been singing since I was 10 years old. My parents (who have no singing ties or ability) realized at a young age I was in love with it and had the talent. From then on I was in countless performing groups, jazz bands, and private vocal lessons. I performed anywhere and everywhere I possibly could. I eventually fell into musical theater. I grew up with that as my main focus, and I attribute it fully to my comfortability on a stage and my versatility with acting, storytelling, and dancing.
My parents made the conscious decision to let me keep my childhood. They did not want me to be a child star in any sense —and for that I am sincerely grateful. However, I do often wonder if I would have gotten farther faster (and been happier) if I had started earlier.
By the end of high school I had established that I wanted to write and sing my own stories. I produced my first EP and started getting licensing placements in LIFETIME Original movies through my mentor Brandon Jarrett. After a year of college in Utah, I decided to pack up and move to LA to pursue music in a more serious way. So, I suppose that leaves us with 8 years of serious industry pursuit and a lifetime of study and practice.
While we all always wish for more time, and with my 26th birthday on the horizon it is easy to feel old and dated in this industry. However, I truly don’t want to go back and change my path. Having a childhood that was fulfilling and normal was such a blessing. I could explore and develop my love for singing and songwriting in an organic and free way. I feel resolved in this current moment with who I am as a person, what I represent as an artist, and the message I’m trying to say to the world. Had my career kickstarted earlier, or in a different way, I would have been so much more malleable. Commercial success may have found me sooner, but at the cost of my vision and life experiences that now play such a pivotal role in my art and ability to empathize with people. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
Mykel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I feel like this path chose me. I am a relatively indecisive person but creating, singing, and teaching have all been no brainers from the start. So I am leaning into all fully.
I started off studying musical theater in high school and was up for best supporting actress in the state of Utah, in addition to being a vocalist for one of the largest touring high school Jazz bands in the country. Once high school ended I decided I wanted to write and tell my own stories. I flew to LA and produced my first EP “Imagine”. During the process, I fell in love with Los Angeles and a year later moved out there full time to pursue a career.
Now I have over 30 song placements in Film/TV, over 15 singles released, I teach vocal lessons, and write for my own artist project (as well as for other artists). It is equally fulfilling and terrifying but I’m honored to be able to do it.
What sets me apart in writing is I have a very conversational approach to my lyrics, which I think makes them universally understood and felt. As a vocalist, I have mastered the art of power belting. I can also code switch to almost any genre someone might need – from classical to country (though RnB/Pop is my home base). As a teacher with musical theatre, classical, and contemporary training, my objective is vocal strength as opposed to vocal style. I meet the voices where they are at and give individuals the tools and training to increase range and strengthen the voice itself, rather than to mold them to a specific style, genre, or practice.
I believe whole heartedly in balance, empathy, and self acceptance. I believe in feeling all your feelings without shame and creating a safe space for people to come exactly as they are so they can feel heard and understood. Art is community and singing is healing. That is my main mission in life, in my teaching, and through my art.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Success and progress in this industry are not linear, and there are no concrete milestones or paths to success. One of the hardest things to get people to understand is I can be doing extremely well and making important progress or connections that don’t result in a raise or immediate job offer. Creativity is ambiguous. It is hard to measure.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Overnight successes are never overnight. The phrase I grew up with is, “The 10 year overnight success.” It could take an instant for you to skyrocket, but if you don’t have the years of laying/building foundations, preparation, connections, and backlog, it will not last.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.officialmykel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britneymykel
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialmykelmusic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mykelmusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/britneymykel
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/mykelmusic
Image Credits
Sandra Seitemaa, Gordan Price, Jerry Sun
Suggest a Story: CanvasRebel is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.